If it’s December or January, chances are good that several Shedd animal care specialists are in South Africa helping to rehabilitate abandoned African penguin chicks that temporarily call a Cape Town rescue center home.

Throughout April and May, Shedd Aquarium sent a rotation of animal rehabilitation teams to help care for the record number of stranded, starving pups—elephant seals, sea lions, harbor seals and fur seals—admitted to The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.

Laguna, a rescued sea lion pup, has made great progress since his arrival at Shedd in late June, says marine mammals director Lisa Takaki. His debut last week in the Grainger Sea Lion Cove was one more step toward his total acclimation here.

Shedd Aquarium is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.Shedd Aquarium gratefully acknowledges the sustaining contributions of the Chicago Park District and the State of Illinois.